New Orleans finally is making progress on falling bullets: An editorial

Law enforcement officials reported no injuries from falling bullets in the metro area on New Year's Eve -- or from any other gunfire. The peaceful end to 2011 is encouraging. This marks the third year in a row that no injuries were caused by celebratory gunfire. The last person to be killed by a falling bullet in New Orleans was Boston tourist Amy Silberman, who was struck by a bullet in 1994 as she watched fireworks from the Moon Walk. As recently as 2008, a man was grazed by a falling bullet, and in 2005, a man was left paralyzed.

Times-Picayune archiveFireworks, not gunfire, marked the beginning of 2011 in the New Orleans area.

But the decline in injuries -- and in reports of gunfire on the holiday -- indicate that celebratory gunfire may be on the wane. There were 327 reports of gunfire the night that Ms. Silberman was killed, a number that has dropped in recent years.

That's a trend worth celebrating. People didn't just wake up one day and decide that firing guns in the air is a bad idea -- although it clearly is a terrible, reckless act. Instead, the message that falling bullets kill was driven home by a concerted effort, started by Ms. Silberman's friends and family. Their campaign has clearly paid off, and it's heartening to see that people can be persuaded to stop dangerous behavior -- even when it might seem to be ingrained.

Persuading people to stop using guns to intentionally harm or kill others is certainly a much greater challenge than persuading them to stop using guns to celebrate. But it's worth noting that no homicides or gunshot wounds of any kind were reported overnight on New Year's Eve in New Orleans -- despite the fact that people were out in numbers. By comparison, 14 people were injured and two killed by gunfire in or near the French Quarter during Halloween.

Sadly, the peace didn't last long. The first homicide of 2012 happened Sunday evening. But the success in stopping celebratory gunfire should serve as an inspiration and example for other efforts to quell violence.